Snag (Chapter 1)
by strongtech
Summary: My first time publishing so appreciate positive or negative feedback. Other chapters will be uploaded shortly


"Stabler" he answered the cell phone. He listened intently. "On it." He hung up and hit speed dial. "Where are you?" He paused, "I'll be out front in ten".

Elliot's jeep abruptly stopped in front of Olivia's apartment building. She opened the passenger door and slid in, "Hey, what do we have?". She looked over. He shook his head several times. He didn't even greet her. Olivia, "That bad?", she inhaled deeply, "Is it kids? Go on. You have to tell me before we get there". She recognized the grave look on his face. She knew Elliot was overly sensitive towards harming children. Elliot, "Rape and homicide of a pregnant woman. They said it's brutal. We gotta be prepared so put your game face on". "Shit" she replied. To Elliot, killing a fetus was just as bad as killing a child.

Elliot pulled up and showed his badge to the policeman guarding the crime scene tape, "We're SVU". "Third floor apartment B. Fair warning. It's bad". "Thanks" Olivia replied.

Elliot and Olivia gloved up and went to the third floor. Medical Examiner, Dr. Melinda Warner, came to the entryway and asked an assistant to bring a gurney. "Hi guys" she said, "I'm sorry to see you". Elliot, "We're sorry to see you too. We already heard it's bad". "It's one of the worst I've seen. She was tortured then murdered. The fetus never had a chance". She led them to the bedroom. The deceased's wrists were handcuffed to the bed posts and she'd been gagged. "Oh Christ!" Olivia cried.

The woman's throat was slit from ear to ear. A chef knife protruded from her pregnant abdomen. Another knife protruded from her vagina. Her fingers and toes were on the floor. Dr. Warner, "From what I can tell so far, she was tortured by cutting off her toes and fingers. It looks like the toe and fingernails were cut out first though. I can't confirm if she was raped yet. She's been stabbed in the vagina and as you can see, the knife is still there. There were three stab wounds to the abdomen ensuring the fetus couldn't survive. She may have still been alive when her throat was slit". Elliot hissed, "Jesus". Olivia had to look away. Dr. Warner "Whoever did this did not randomly select her. She was savagely attacked and I'm very confident it's by someone she knew. This was way too personal".

Olivia started taking notes so she didn't have to look at the body, "Name?". "Isabella Garcia. Went by Isy. I-S-Y. Age thirty two." "Time of death?". "Somewhere around midnight". "Can you tell how pregnant yet?". "Estimating six months". Elliot raised his voice, "The baby can feel that. That's two counts of first degree murder". "Elliot, you need to wait for me to confirm that at the morgue".

Elliot looked to Olivia, "Start with the usual. Talk to the officers and neighbors" They turned to leave. Dr. Warner, "Wait, there's more". They turned back, Olivia asked "More? How much more could there possibly be?". Dr. Warner, "Her five year old son was at a sleep over with one of the neighbor's sons. When he was being dropped off, he briefly saw the mother. He's still at the neighbors if you want to talk to him. Apartment D". Elliot was upset and cried, "Oh fuck! Look at her! He's gonna be scarred for life!". Dr. Warner, "I know. I wish I had better news". Elliot crouched to look at the fingers. He tried to calm down but couldn't, "Oh god, that's a wedding ring on that finger. Do we know where her husband is?". "I heard work but don't know where". Olivia pulled his arm, "Come on. Let's go talk to the boy".

They entered apartment D and approached a case worker. They all shook hands, "I'm Becky Livingston from Child Protective Services". Elliot introduced himself and Olivia. Elliot, "What does he have to say?". Becky, "Not a lot. I don't think he understands what's happened. When he was dropped off at the mother's he caught a glimpse of her before being rushed back here. He's just been playing. We're not going to say much until the father is contacted". Olivia asked "What are their names?". "Manuel Garcia is the father. He works at the Brooklyn Amazon warehouse. Eduardo is his and Isy's son". Elliot "Okay if we talk with him?". "Yes, but don't mention what's happened to his mother please". "Sure".

Elliot approached him, kneeled, and showed his police badge, "Hi Eduardo, I'm Detective Stabler. I'm a police officer". He let Eduardo hold his shiny badge. "So you stayed over here last night?". "Uh-huh. Then I went home to mommy. She was still sleeping. She must have been eating french fries". Elliot looked up at Olivia, "Why do you think that?". "She spilled a lot of ketchup". Elliot rubbed his eyebrows, "Okay Eduardo, thanks". He moved away and Olivia followed him. "Fucking Christ, ketchup? His mother was slaughtered and he thinks it is ketchup". Olivia, "He doesn't know any better El. He's only five". Olivia led him out by the elbow, "Let's make the rounds. Come on".

Elliot and Olivia learned that Manuel "Manny" Garcia, age thirty four, worked the night shift at the warehouse starting at eight pm and ending at eight am. Officers had already confirmed he was still there and was being picked up and taken to the precinct. The Garcia's apartment door didn't appear to be tampered with so it suggested the suspect had a key which might make him or her close to the family. None of the neighbors heard anything unusual and didn't notice any guests looking out of place. Whoever it was went unnoticed, blended in, or was already a known visitor. The lobby and each floor of the building had surveillance cameras. Officers were already trying to obtain footage from the property management company.

Elliot and Olivia went back to the precinct and prepared to interview Manuel Garcia. Since the homicide had been one of the most merciless they had ever seen, FBI Forensic Psychiatrist and Criminal Profiler, Dr. George Huang, was called in to monitor the interview. Elliot and Olivia's boss, Captain Don Cragen, was also monitoring. Captain Cragen to Elliot and Olivia, "He doesn't know yet. Break it to him gently in case he's not the one". "Okay" Olivia said as the two entered the interview room. Elliot took the lead, "Mr. Garcia, I'm Detective Stabler and this is my partner Detective Benson. I'm afraid we have some bad news". Manny was in tears, "Please tell me what's going on. No one will say anything". Elliot, "Isabella was murdered last night". Manny sobbed, "What!?". "I'm really sorry. Both she and the baby are dead". He sobbed harder, "Nooo!". "We already know it wasn't you. We verified you were at work. We need to know who could have done this to them.". Manny kept crying, "I don't know. Everyone loves Isy. Our families were happy we were having another baby. He screamed for her and dropped his head into his arms, "Isy!".

Cragen, "Detective Stabler?" he called over the intercom. Olivia stayed and took notes on their friends and family members while Elliot stepped out, sighing, "He sounds sincere. I don't think he's our guy. What do you think George?" Elliot believed Mr. Garcia and was looking for confirmation. George, "He is sincere. He's completely shocked and extremely upset. He's not faking it. He's not your guy". Elliot, "So we keep looking for the guy". George, "I can tell you right now he's calculating, angry, manipulative, and unremorseful. Probably twenty five to forty years old. He's a controller and doesn't like being told 'no'. Perhaps Isabella told him 'no' at one point. That would explain his fixation and fury. If he couldn't have her, he'd make it so no one could. I'll send you a full profile later today". Elliot said dryly, "So he's pretty much a monster. We get a lot of that around here. Thanks though George".

Manny screamed out "Eduardo! What about Eduardo?". Elliot walked in and gave Olivia the innocent hand signal. Olivia answered, "He's okay. He stayed over at a neighbor's apartment. He's with child services right now. He'll be reunited with you soon. I promise". Manny got angry, "You better find who did this to my Isy and daughter! You better!". Elliot, "That's our job and we take it very seriously". He sat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder, "Mr. Garcia, you need to know that he saw her. It wasn't for long but he saw her. He thought she'd been eating french fries and ketchup and was still sleeping. He's going to need counseling. You have to make that happen for his own good. We'll get you a list of counseling centers". Manny started crying again, "Okay. I will. He doesn't deserve this". Elliot, "None of you deserve this. We'll do everything we can to get Isy's murderer. We'll have someone take you to Eduardo now".

Elliot left the interview mad. He was a hothead. Everyone knew it and usually left him alone when he got close to the boiling point. He was already there and pointed to Olivia, "They didn't deserve this! Pregnant and brutally murdered? Who does that? Wife, daughter, and mother. All stolen. You don't recover from that!". Olivia grabbed his forearms and spoke softly, "I know El. We have to see this through to get them justice". Elliot, furious, "There is no justice for this kind of thing! Not ever! He deserves to be executed and I'm just the guy to do it". "El, calm down. There will be justice but you won't be serving it. He'll go to prison for the rest of his life". Still at boiling point, "That's not justice. He needs to have exactly what he did to her done to him". Olivia, calmly, "Listen to me. You need to go home and be with your family. I'll see you tomorrow. You're walking out with me. Now". She dragged him away.


End file.
